God Is Not Your Hype Man | When Love Tells the Truth

We All Know These Two Friends

I think most of us have that one friend.

You know the one. No matter what, they are going to tell you that you look amazing, your idea is brilliant, and you were absolutely right. If you are nervous about the outfit, they say, “Girl, you look fabulous.” If you are unsure about how you handled something, they will quickly reassure you that you did nothing wrong. If your feelings are hurt, they are ready to remind you that the other person is the problem anyway.

And listen, sometimes that kind of encouragement feels good.

But then there is the other friend.

The one who loves you just as much, but is going to tell you the truth. The friend who says, “That dress is cute, but it is a little too tight.” The friend who tells you that you have food in your teeth before you walk into the room. The friend who hears your side of the story and says, “No ma’am, you were wrong for that.”

And when life gets serious, that is usually the friend you really want. When it truly matters, you do not want hype. You want truth.

I Already Know Which Friend I Am

And if I am being honest, that is the category I fall into.

I am that second friend.

I have been called blunt before, and for a long time, I did not love that. Not because I want to be fake, but because it has never been my intention to be rude. I was raised to be respectful. Manners mattered. So when people said I was too honest, I took it a little personally.

But over time, I have realized something: if I love you, I am not going to lie to you.

I am not going to send you out into the world looking crazy, acting crazy, or believing something harmful is fine just because the truth is uncomfortable. If you ask me, I am going to tell you the truth. Not to embarrass you. Not to hurt you. But because I care about you enough not to flatter you into a mess.

Why This Made Me Think About God

That is what made me think about God.

So many people either see God as harsh and unloving, or they want Him to be the kind of friend who just pats them on the back, agrees with everything they do, and tells them they are fine no matter what.

But God is not either of those things.

He is not cruel.

And He is not your hype man.

He is truth, and He is love.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6 NKJV

And 1 John 4:8, NKJV, tells us plainly, “God is love.”

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

That means God is not trying to shame you, condemn you, or push you away. He loves you. Deeply. Faithfully. Completely.

But because He loves you, He is also going to tell you the truth.

He is not going to call wrong right just to make you feel better. He is not going to agree with every choice just because it is yours. He is not going to bless what is hurting you simply because you want Him to.

That is not rejection. That is love telling the truth.

Love Does Not Mean God Agrees With Everything

And honestly, I think this is where some people get frustrated.

We want God to comfort us, but we do not always want Him to correct us. We want love, but not conviction. We want peace, but not the kind that comes after repentance and surrender. We want Him to be on our side, but we do not always stop to ask if we are on His.

But scripture is clear that God’s love and God’s correction are not in conflict.

Revelation 3:19 NKJV says,

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

And Hebrews 12:6a NKJV says,

“For whom the Lord loves He chastens...”

In other words, when God corrects, it is not because He has stopped loving you. It is because He does.

He loves you too much to lie to you.

He loves you too much to flatter you into destruction.

He loves you too much to leave you deceived.

That is what real love does.

It tells the truth.

A Faithful Friend Tells the Truth

That is true in friendship, and it is true with God.

Ephesians 4:15 NKJV tells us to speak “the truth in love,”

“but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ”

 Proverbs 27:6 NKJV says,

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

A faithful friend does not always tell you what feels good in the moment. A faithful friend tells you what is true.

God does the same.

If you are somewhere you should not be, He will deal with you about it. If you are entertaining something that is going to harm you, He will warn you. If your heart is drifting, if your attitude is off, if your choices are leading you into trouble, He is not going to pretend it is all fine just to keep you comfortable.

And yet, even then, His heart toward you is still love.

He Is Better Than a Hype Man

That is the amazing part.

Even when we do not listen right away, even when we make choices and end up facing the consequences, God does not stop being God. He is still merciful. Still faithful. Still near. Still ready to lead us back into truth.

So no, God is not your hype man.

He is better than that.

He is the friend who loves you enough to tell you the truth. The friend who will not flatter you, mislead you, or leave you in the dark. The friend who speaks truth, not to harm you, but to help you. Not to push you away, but to protect you.

So let us not build our understanding of God on what culture says, or what wounded people say, or even what we wish were true. Let us go to His Word for ourselves.

Because if you want to know who God is, you will find Him there.

And what you will find is this:

He is love.

He is truth.

And when He speaks truth to us, it is always because He loves us.

As always friends, be well fed.

John & Stephanie

The Butlers